White House chief of staff Mark Meadows denied reports that U.S. Postal Service mail sorting machines have been decommissioned on orders from the postmaster general and vowed that none will be taken offline before the November election.
Speaking with CNN’s State of the Union on Sunday, Meadows told host Jake Tapper that reports that several postal sorting machines have been dismantled a “political narrative” that is “not based on fact.”
“There’s no sorting machines that are going offline between now and the election,” he said. “That’s something that my Democrat friends are trying to do to stoke fear out there. That’s not happening.”
“Are you saying that sorting machines have not been taken offline and removed?” Tapper later asked, noting that the U.S. Postal Service has shut down six machines in Missouri and one in Kansas.
“I’m saying that sorting machines between now and the election will not be taken offline,” Meadows replied, adding that machines not “already scheduled” for “reallocation” will remain in place and that the shutdowns are not “a new initiative by this postmaster general.”
“There’s no sorting machines that are going offline between now and the election,” White House chief of staff Mark Meadows tells @jaketapper while discussing the debate surrounding Postal Service funding. https://t.co/M79UyNK2rI #CNNSOTU pic.twitter.com/QpgneVGwsx
— State of the Union (@CNNSotu) August 16, 2020
In addition to the machines already decommissioned, CNN also reported last week that documents indicate that another 671 machines used to organize letters are slated for “reduction” across the country this year, a move the U.S. Postal Service called a “reduction” in equipment. Some have expressed concern that the report signals an attempt by the Trump administration to combat widespread vote-by-mail ahead of the 2020 election.
President Trump and his allies have expressed concerns over mail-in voting during the coronavirus pandemic and have argued that it could open the door to voter fraud. While Tapper pointed out that “there is no evidence of widespread voter fraud,” Meadows countered that “there’s no evidence that there’s not, either.”
CNN’s @jaketapper: “There is no evidence of widespread voter fraud.”
White House chief of staff Mark Meadows: “There’s no evidence that there’s not, either. That’s the definition of fraud, Jake.” https://t.co/M79UyNK2rI #CNNSOTU pic.twitter.com/w3MiKXtNAl
— State of the Union (@CNNSotu) August 16, 2020
“That’s the definition of fraud,” the chief of staff added.
